


open house for butterflies is a good thing to have

by mothicalcreatures



Category: The Terror (TV 2018), The Terror - Dan Simmons
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Developing Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M, the terror decameron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-23 00:50:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23536426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothicalcreatures/pseuds/mothicalcreatures
Summary: Dating was difficult as a gay single dad.--Or, the Bridglar fic where Bridgens meets Peglar's kid from a previous marriage.
Relationships: John Bridgens/Harry Peglar
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47
Collections: the terror decameron





	open house for butterflies is a good thing to have

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bluebacchus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebacchus/gifts).



> For bluebacchus who requested Bridglar with Bridgens meeting Peglar's kid for the first time. Also for the Terror Decameron day 9 prompt "lovers." 
> 
> Title is from the book "Open House for Butterflies" by Ruth Krauss (illustrated by Maurice Sendak)

Dating was difficult as a gay single dad. Henry had gotten married in his 20s to his childhood sweetheart, had a kid by 30, and then his wife decided she couldn’t handle being a mom and left. Henry had gotten full custody of their one year old son, David, and that had been that.

He’d tried to get back out there, but dating apps hadn’t been helpful and after one too many men ghosting him after finding out he had a kid, Henry had more or less given up. Besides, being a full time parent and holding a full time job took up so much time he often didn’t have the energy to date. Then they moved and he met John Bridgens, the owner of the bookstore cafe two blocks down from Henry’s new flat.

They’d met when Henry had been sent by his boss to appraise a roof leak in the building. He’d been smitten immediately, despite the fact that John was at least a decade or more older than him (it hadn’t seemed a polite thing to ask his exact age). The leak wasn’t a bad one and would be a pretty easy fix and John had offered him a coffee on the house as they sat down to discuss cost.

The coffee had been very good, but even if it hadn’t been, Henry definitely would have been back. He hadn’t even had to spend hours agonizing over if John was gay or not, because it was rather obvious that he was, just going by how he ran the little shop. The gay book section was the first, most obvious section you were met with, the walls were peppered with vintage pride paraphernalia, and when he came back to finishing the roofing work, John had been wearing a little enamel pride pin on his apron.

Even after the roofing work was finished, Henry kept finding reasons to come and talk to John, eventually working up the nerve toask him on a proper date. They’d fallen into things so easily after that, except in that Henry kept dancing around reasons to avoid bringing up David, which included not inviting John back to his home, though he’d been to John’s several times (it was the flat above the bookstore, because of course it was).

Eventually, though the inevitable happened. Elizabeth had a last minute cat emergency and wasn’t able to babysit David the night of one of Henry’s dates with John.

He stared down at John’s contact in his phone balefully for a moment before pressing call.

“Henry!” John greeted, mere moments after it started ringing. “How are you?”

“I’m well, but er… I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel, for tonight, something’s come up.” He shoved his free hand into his pocket as he began pacing the small kitchen.

“That’s all right, we’ll find time to reschedule,” John assured him, which was soothing.

John was always so wonderfully understanding, maybe telling himabout David wouldn’t go so badly. He was certainly already “settled”in a way that many of the other men Henry had tried dating over the years weren’t.

“It’s nothing serious, I hope,” John continued. “I know you said you were doing all right, but you’ll forgive me being concerned.”

“No it’s nothing like that, well for me anyway, my sister’s cat ate something he shouldn’t have and now they’re at the emergency vet, and I’ve… I’ve got no one else who can watch my son.”

He wasn’t ashamed of David, God forbid, he loved his son more than anything and if a man was going to give him trouble about having a kid, then he wasn’t someone Henry wanted to date anyways, but being stood up and ditched still hurt.

“Oh!”

“I’m sorry, I know I should have brought it up sooner…”

“There’s no need to apologize, Henry,” John said. “What’s his name?”

“David, he’ll be turning five soon.” He couldn’t help the pride that crept its way into his voice.

“Has he started school yet? Or will that be for this coming school year?” John sounded so enthusiastic to talk about David, Henry could feel himself falling for John all over again.

“He’s been doing half-days of preschool, but it’ll be full days once kindergarten starts in the fall.” Elizabeth had been helping him look at schools, which had been part of what had prompted their move, so that they could be close to good schools for David.

“Oh, wonderful.” John sighed. “I’ve always wanted kids, but it’s hard enough to adopt as a gay couple much less a single gay man.”

“Would…” Henry hesitated a moment. “Would you like to come over and meet him? I mean, if you want to. I could make dinner? It wouldn’t be the date we had planned but… I’d like you to meet him.” He’d never brought anyone home to meet David before, but John was so nice and he liked kids!

John’s voice was incredibly soft when he spoke again. “I would love that, Henry. I… does David read yet?”

“A little,” Henry replied. “I’m not too great at reading myself so I haven’t been much good at teaching him, but his preschool teacher’s got him started.”

There was a soft hum and sound the sounds of pages turning. “You don’t have to bring anything,” Henry said, having a feeling about why John had asked that.

“I don’t have to, but I’d like to, if that’s all right,” a pause. “I wouldn’t want to overstep.”

“You wouldn’t be,” Henry was quick to assure him. “I’m sure David would love it if you brought him a book. He does like reading.”

“Excellent, I have just the thing for an early reader. I suppose he likes picture books?”

Henry grinned broadly. “They’re the only kind he cares about.”

“Shall I come over at the time we initially planned for, or should I give you a bit more time?” 

“Same time works,” Henry said. “I was just going to make pasta.”

“Sound wonderful, I’ll see you in a little while then.”

Dinner was incredible, and even better was that David just adored John, especially after he presented David with a book, “Open House for Butterflies.”

“It was my favorite when I was a little,” John said to Henry as they sat on the couch watching as David looked through the book on his own. Whether he could read any of the words didn’t seem to matter.

“Really? When was it published?” He winced internally at that, he hadn’t really meant to imply that John was old.

But John just chuckled. “1960, I believe.” He leaned in closer to Henry. “I would have been three at the time.”

Henry flushed. “I didn’t meant to-“ he started, but John cut him off with a wave of his hand.

“You meant no offense, I’m frankly flattered you’re interested in an old man like me.” His tone was teasing, but it made Henry ache nonetheless.

“You’re not _that_ old, you’re just… dignified. Besides,” he added more softly. “Age means a whole lot less the older you get, and I really like you John.”

John smiled. He opened his mouth to say something, but then David popped up in front of them holding the book. “Will you read this to me, Mr. John?”

“If it’s all right with your dad,” John said, looking over at him.

Henry gave a small nod as he got to his feet. “While you do that, why don’t I get desert. I think we still have ice cream sandwiches.” 

David shrieked “Yes!” and climbed up onto the couch where Henry had previously been sitting.

As Henry walked back into the kitchen he could hear John starting to read.

“ _A screaming song is good to know in case you need to scream._

_A good thing to think about is what kind of face to make when you say please.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Peglar did have a sister named Elizabeth! She was two years older than him.


End file.
